


No One but You

by KittyHowell



Category: Hot Fuzz (2007)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:15:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24139474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyHowell/pseuds/KittyHowell
Summary: Danny and Nicholas decide to take their relationship to the next level at the same time someone starts mysteriously breaking windows of local shops
Relationships: Nicholas Angel/Danny Butterman
Comments: 11
Kudos: 124





	No One but You

**Author's Note:**

> I was meant to finish this FOREVER a go. Hope you enjoy!

The pub is alive with laughter, people, and music. Nicholas can’t help but smile. He’s never been a fan of pubs or drinking, really. He’s seen too many incidents happen due to alcohol. The only reason he stopped in the first night he was in Sandford was because he felt lonely and wanted to check out the town and the people before he officially started his shift the next day.    
  
Then he met Danny and while he doesn’t believe in getting flat out drunk, or even a little drunk more than once a week, he certainly enjoys spending time with his partner.    
  
Danny comes back into view then, carrying a beer in both hands. It had been Nicholas’ round to buy but Danny had offered to be the one to grab them, since Nick had pulled a muscle earlier when he tripped over a misplaced rock while attempting to collect the infamous village swan. He’s fine, really, but Danny insisted and Nicholas can so rarely tell him no these days.    
  
“Fuck off,” Danny yells to the Andes, who’s mumbled something when he’s squeezed past them.    
  
“What did they say?”    
  
Danny freezes for only a fraction of a second, then shrugs. “Made a comment about my weight.” He shrugs it off like it’s nothing but Nick feels like he’s just trying to pass it off for less than it is.    
  
The blond looks back at the Andes, who are already looking at him. The death glare he gives them is enough to stop their snickers but Nicholas can still feel their eyes on his back when he turns to drink his beer.    
  
“Noisy in here tonight,” Danny mentions. He’s smiling as he looks around, waving at people and occasionally saying hi to those who walk by. Nick mostly keeps his head down. He’s been around long enough to know everyone but he hasn’t quite mastered casual greetings and light conversation just yet. He does great with Danny and good with the others at the station, even the Andes. Other people can still seem like aliens to him sometimes.    
  
“Ello, Danny, Inspector,” Mr. Mower, the 9th grade history teacher greets as he comes to their table. He sets a beer down in front of both of them before rubbing his hands together. “This round’s on me!”    
  
They give their thanks, Danny more enthusiastic and less awkward than his partner. He’s already finished with the one beer and moved onto the second, no, third. It’s their third round, Nick’s mind supplies.    
  
He tilts his head, contemplating. Danny is halfway done with his by the time Nick picks his up, so he drinks quickly.    
  
“Whatcha thinkin bout?”    
  
Nicholas wipes his mouth before speaking. “The model village. They’re done with it now, I heard it earlier in passing. Forgot to mention it.”    
  
“Aye. I heard from Doris this morning while making tea. It’s not a model village anymore.”    
  
“Better that way, if you ask me.”    
  
“Agreed,” Danny says before taking a sip of his beer. He’ll need a new one in a minute. “I like what they’re doing with it now; making it an area for the community. It’s nice. I hear they’re going to do a drive in movie next weekend.”    
  
“We should go,” Nicholas says immediately, then falls silent. “I mean, if you want. I have no idea what they’re playing.”    
  
“Me neither,” Danny shrugs, “but it sounds...nice. We should go.”    
  
“Good, good,” Nicholas says back. They need the next round, so Danny gets up again and heads to the bar. The blond watches him through the crowd, only taking his eyes away when someone purposely steps in the way.    
  
He looks up, almost startled. He’d been so focused on Danny he hadn’t noticed the other person coming his way at all. He gives a small and polite smile at seeing that it is Miss Roper, the new middle school teacher who had just moved to the village the month before.    
  
“Hello, Inspector.”    
  
“Hello,” Nicholas says in return. When she doesn’t say anything, he clears his throat and asks “is there anything I can do for you?”    
  
“Have you heard the news about the drive in movie next weekend?”    
  
“Yes, Danny and I were just speaking about that actually.”    
  
As if he’d been summoned, Danny makes his way back through the crowd towards them. He stops just short, giving Nicholas a raised eyebrow. Nick doesn’t respond because Miss Roper is still looking at him.    
  
“I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.”    
  
Danny nearly turns to walk away, wanting to be anywhere but there. He thinks, _ “This is it. The girl who will take Nick from me.” _

_   
_ Before he does turn, Nicholas makes a face at her like he’s contemplating what to say. It isn’t the same adorable and drunk face he made at Danny when he’d said yes to another beer in his flat. This one looks startled, maybe even a little frightened. Nicholas addresses him with his hand and says “Thank you for the invitation, Miss Roper, but Danny and I have already made plans together to go.”    
  
She turns and looks at the Sergeant before returning her eyes to Nicholas. He doesn’t invite her along because he doesn’t want her there. He doesn’t mention another time because there will be no other time, not with her.    
  
“Oh, well,” Miss Roper speaks, now sounding a little embarrassed, “that sounds lovely. Perhaps another time.”    
  
Nicholas does not respond. She says her goodbyes to them both before disappearing into the crowd. Danny watches her go before sitting back down in his chair, pushing Nick’s beer to him.    
  
“We should probably make this our last round,” Nicholas speaks as if nothing happened. “We have a late morning shift tomorrow.”    
  
When they do finish their beers, they leave the still noisy pub together, nodding to the Andes before they go. It’s a nice May evening so neither mind the walk. It isn’t long before Danny’s mind drifts to Miss Roper and he wonders if Nicholas has done the same.    
  
“Why didn’t you say yes?”    
  
“To what?”    
  
“To Miss Roper,” Danny supplies, “she’s pretty enough.”    
  
‘Pretty enough’ probably does not describe her accurately. She is certainly beautiful, if you’re into thin dark haired beauties with big eyes and red lips. The Andes have both given it a go and failed, as a few others by now. Now she’s shown interest in Nicholas and he’s gone and blundered it up.    
  
“I didn’t want to go with her,” Nicholas blushes just slightly, kicking the ground. “Why; did...did you want to? Go with her, I mean.”    
  
“No,” Danny shakes his head. “No, I’m glad you said no, to be honest. Was just wondering why.”    
  
Nicholas stops walking. It takes Danny a second to notice. They stare at each other, alone in the road. Danny’s heart hammers in his chest so loudly, he’s absolutely sure Nick can hear it from where he’s standing.    
  
Nicholas’ brain shorts out, maybe from the beer or perhaps from fear. He’s not sure. He’s not prepared to speak but forces it out anyway. “There is no one I would rather spend my time with than you, Danny.”    
  
They’re both silent for another moment. Danny finds the courage to speak first. “Did you mean, or rather, do you want...the movie to be a...date?”    
  
Nicholas is most certainly not ready for this but he shoves his hands in his jacket, as if the thin fabric can protect him, and nods shortly.    
  
“Okay,” Danny says back. “That sounds great.”    
  
Unsure of what to do, Nicholas starts walking again. It only takes a second for Danny to follow and only another second after that to walk in line with him. When they reach Danny’s flat, he opens his mouth to ask Nick to come in. It would hardly be unusual; this was just how it went. But nothing comes out and instead he just closes his mouth and looks at Nicholas to take the lead.    
  
The Inspector seems to understand. They crossed a line they’d be tethering on for sometime and going inside with Danny would mean more now than it would just hours before. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Make sure you get some sleep.”    
  
“Yeah, yeah.”    
  
“Goodnight, Danny.”    
  
Danny feels a little disappointed but then Nick takes his hand and brushes his knuckles with his thumb before turning around and walking away.    
  
...   
  
The next day goes by like nothing is different, so much so that Danny thinks he may have been drunker than he thought and imagined the whole thing.    
  
Nicholas picks him up that morning for their late morning shift. He brought his normal tea for himself and Danny, along with something small to munch on. They quickly go to sign in and then release Doris and Fisher from duty.    
  
They walk their normal beat for a bit before taking a different route, if only to mix things up a little. Nicholas doesn’t think anyone in the town would memorize the routes but he always found it was better to be safe than sorry. They say hello to people as they pass and make small talk as the day drags on.    
  
Danny is about to say something when while they’re walking back towards they’re normal path, they hear glass shattering. They’re both already running in the direction when they hear a woman scream. Luckily, when they turn the corner they see instantly no one is hurt. Mrs. Masher is going to need a new window for her pottery shop though.    
  
Danny calls it in while Nicholas manages to get everyone back from the immediate area. The Andes come quickly and tape off the scene, actually happy to have something to do.    
  
“That was my favorite pot,” she says for the fifth time while Nicholas interviews her. He nods his head sympathetically but tries to move on in the interview. It’s useless; she can’t remember anything other than the pot.    
  
“You screamed, Mrs. Masher. Was there anything specific that made you do that?”    
  
“I screamed,” she asked back, slightly confused, then shook her head. “I don’t remember. My glass shattered, I remember that. It startled me and I dropped my phone, I remember that too. I was in the back so I ran out here and that’s when I noticed my favorite pot was smashed. Maybe I screamed then?”    
  
Nicholas wrote down everything she said, considering. “Is there anyone you can think of who may have done this?”    
  
“Wait, you think someone did this on purpose?!”   
  
Nicholas’ mouth set into a grim line. “More than likely it was a simple accident and the offender was just scared so they ran off but I still have to look into every possibility.”    
  
Mrs. Masher nodded, though she seemed a little miffed with his answer. Nicholas wrote it down. “I don’t have any enemies. Unless you count Miss Peeler down the way.”    
  
“The art teacher?”    
  
“Yes, she’s opened a small art studio right around the corner.”    
  
She didn’t say anything more about it but Nicholas seemed to understand why this was an issue. “She does pottery.” He doesn’t need to see Mrs. Masher’s face to know he was right but it helped. “Okay, well, thank you for your time. Cartwright and Wainwright will be finished soon and the glass will be cleaned for you. If you think of anything, let us know. We’ll keep you updated.    
  
Mrs. Masher crosses her arms over her chest. “Yes, thank you.”    
  
As she walks off, Danny walks up to him. “Nothing seems to be missing. Do you think it was an accident? A hoodie, maybe? Accidentally broke it and ran off scared?”    
  
“Possibly, yes.”    
  
Danny’s eyes narrowed. “You think something is going on. Well, come on, then. Tell me.”   
  
Nicholas shrugs. “Just an odd feeling, s’all. Come on, let’s finish up and go do our reports. Walker and Saxon are taking over patrol.”    
  
...   
  
In the days that follow, the team follows a couple leads concerning Mrs Masher’s window. One witness that Danny had interviewed had said he had seen a few hoodies hanging around not too long before the incident but not at the time of.    
  
Danny manages to track them down easily enough but it’s a complete bust in the end. The hoodies were the son and girlfriend of the shop keeper next to Mrs. Masher. They were leaving the shop to go hang out with friends after Jr’s shift. Danny manages to find pictures on social media and doesn’t even need to leave the office to close the lead. He’s more than a little disappointed, but Nicholas smiles at him when he explains it all. The “good job, Danny,” he receives makes him feel like he’s solved a million cases.    
  
The Andes shift through the evidence they gathered at the scene but only shrug when asked how it’s going. Nicholas knows it takes time and they’re working consistently, so he doesn’t push.    
  
Then, the day before the drive in, another window gets broken.    
  
Danny and Nicholas are not on patrol but go as soon as the call comes in, as do the Andes.    
  
Nicholas is proud to see that Turner has blocked off the area and Doris is already interviewing witnesses when they get there. They’ve all come a long way, especially Danny. It all makes Nicholas tingle a little inside.    
  
Ignoring this, Nicholas goes to work. Danny speaks to Turner briefly before waving Nicholas over. Turner, in turn, goes to help Doris while the Andes do their thing.   
  
“This is Mr. Mower’s shop and it looks like some stuff is missing this time.”    
  
“The history teacher,” Nicholas questions, looking around for the man but not seeing him. “I thought this shop belonged to Miss Archer?”    
  
“Miss Archer is Mr. Mower’s daughter-in-law. Greg Mower died of an aneurysm a couple years fore you came to Sanford. They weren’t married long but Mr. Mower has Miss Archer run the shop.”    
  
Nicholas nods his head slowly, taking in all the information. He’s never been one to keep up with gossip or how the townspeople are related to each other, unless of course, it mattered to a case. Luckily he has Danny.    
  
The first window broken was Mrs. Masher’s who owned a pottery shop. This window was Miss Archer and Mr. Mowers, the hardware store. Mrs. Masher said her only enemy she had was Miss Peeler, an art shop owner who also happened to be a teacher and worked with Mr. Mower.    
  
“Where is Mr. Mower?”   
  
“School,” Danny shrugs causally but keeps his eyes focused on Nicholas’ face. He knows when he’s thinking deeply about something related to police work. Danny still finds it fascinating, even though he’s more than happy Nicholas has learned to switch off from time to time. “Miss Archer called him but class don’t end for another twenty minutes. He’s stuck there till then.”   
  
Nicholas wonders if the same could be said for Miss Peeler.    
  
...   
  
They aren’t on duty for the drive in so they don’t want to take their cruiser. Nicholas has never needed a car in London and that hasn’t changed when he moved to Sandford, so Danny is tasked with picking up Nicholas for their date.    
  
Danny is so nervous he’s done getting ready an hour before he has to leave the flat. He sits down on the couch and tries to distract himself with “Bad Cop Bon Cop” but can’t get into it enough to settle down. He ends up back in the bathroom and looking at his reflection in the mirror.    
  
He’s clean shaven. He brushed his teeth, used mouthwash, and even flossed. He hadn’t even known he’d owned floss until he went looking for it. He dressed in his nicest pair of jeans and a blue short sleeved button up. He thought he looked pretty good, minus the belly he had never really been a big fan of. He obviously can’t do anything about that so he takes one more look at himself before walking back in the living room.    
  
He’s about to sit back down when he notices there are crumbs from his chips the night before on the couch where he was just sitting. Sighing, he cleans them up, then twists until he can see his own behind. Sure enough, his pants are littered with tiny crumbs. He cleans them the best he can before grabbing his keys and walking out the door. He can’t stand to wait any longer.    
  
He gets to Nicholas’ cottage ten minutes before the set time, but Nick always said on time was really fifteen minutes late. He wonders if that counts for dates as well. Danny parks the car and walks up to the front door, pausing to knock. It felt odd to walk up instead of just waiting for Nick in the car like he normally did. Even weirder to knock instead of just barging in as Nick allowed him to do. But this was a date and Danny wanted nothing more than for it to be perfect.    
  
Not two minutes after he knocked, Nicholas opens the door, looking as he does everyday: perfect. At least, Danny always thought so. He isn’t wearing his uniform now, instead a nice pair of jeans and a button down underneath a thin grey sweater.    
  
A moment passes before either say anything. “Are you ready to go?”    
  
If Danny didn’t know any better, he would think Nicholas is blushing. “Yes,” he says instead of mentioning the slight flush to his partner’s face.    
  
He opens the car door for Nicholas. He’s not sure if that’s okay; you can never really tell nowadays but his mother said it was the right thing to do and so he does it. Nicholas pauses for a moment but then grins openly as he slips into the car.    
  
“Did we ever find out what’s playing?” the blond asks as Danny drives carefully through the streets of their little village. There is traffic where there normally isn’t any. Nicholas is sure the drive in is the cause.    
  
“I heard from Miss Preacher that they’re playing “Meet the Robinsons”.”    
  
“Oh, that’ll be nice for the kids. Didn’t we see a preview for that?” It wasn’t what they usually partook in, but Nicholas doesn’t mind in the slightest.    
  
“When we watched “Supercop” on TV last month.”    
  
Nicholas nodded, and Danny could tell from the look in his eye that he was trying to conquer the exact memory. “Should be nice.” He said, just as Danny pulled into the old model village lot. Half the village was already there and the other half were right behind them. Despite there being several spots open further up towards the screen, Danny parked in the back.    
  
“I’ll go get something to eat for the movie,” Nicholas offered as soon as Danny parked.    
  
“Oi,” the Sergeant called out, but he wasn’t entirely sure why. “Why do you get to pay?”    
  
Nicholas seemed to consider this. “You drove.”    
  
“You don’t have a car!”   
  
“Correct, but I do have legs. And money. I’ll be right back.” Smiling, Nicholas makes his way through the crowd towards the concession stand.    
  
Nicholas orders two cokes, two hotdogs, and a large popcorn. They’re serving beer but Danny is driving and they both need to set a good example for everyone.    
  
“Here on a date, are we,” Mrs. Walker questions happily as she takes the money from his hand. “Who’s the lucky lady?”    
  
“I’m...here with Danny, actually.” He doesn’t mention that it’s a date. He’s not sure Danny would want anyone to know. He’s not sure he wants anyone to know.    
  
“Ah, bless,” she says back, handing him his change. Nicholas scans the area, more out of boredom than police instinct. He never thought that would ever happen. He sees Mr. Mower, Miss. Peeler, and Mrs. Archer not far off, speaking to one another. Interesting.    
  
He locks eyes, accidentally, with Miss Roper and quickly looks away. He picks up his things hurriedly but she’s in front of him within seconds.    
  
“Hello, Inspector.”    
  
“Hello, Miss Roper.”    
  
“Here with Danny?”   
  
“Yes.”    
  
“Good so far?”    
  
“Perfect, in fact,” he tells her before maneuvering around her and heading back towards Danny. He shouldn’t be annoyed with her. He hasn’t told her he isn’t interested, only implied. He hopes she gets the picture and if not, next time he’ll tell her straight out.    
  
Danny is sitting on the car hood when he gets back, a large blanket in his lap. Others around them are setting up, the sun is setting, and the movie is about to begin.    
  
Nicholas gets under the blanket and tries not to feel weird about it. No one is watching them anyway. Danny holds his hand under the blanket. Nicholas melts a little. 

  
After, Danny drives Nicholas home, still laughing over the silliness of the movie. The blond grins back at him. “I’ll admit, I liked the dinosaur.”    
  
“I got a big head and little arms,” Danny mimics and it makes Nicholas laugh until his eyes water. Things settle down as Danny parks the car in front of Nicholas’ cottage.    
  
“So...”   
  
“So.”    
  
“Can I-?”   
  
“Do you-?”   
  
They both laugh a little awkwardly. “You go first,” Danny insists, rubbing the back of his neck.    
  
“Mrs. Walker asked if I was on a date. I told her I was with you but I don’t know how she took it.”    
  
“Do you not want people to know?”    
  
“Well,” Nicholas considers this, “for now, no. If we decide to just be friends, I want to be able to do that without others getting involved.”    
  
Danny isn’t sure he’d ever be able to go back to just friends with Nick, not if they really cross this line. He doesn’t say this though, for fear that his partner will put a stop to it right here and instead just nods his head.    
  
“What were you going to ask?”    
  
Blushing, Danny looks down and mumbles, “I was going to ask...if I could kiss you.” When Nicholas doesn’t respond after a moment, Danny looks up.    
  
Nicholas stares at him, then leans in. Before Danny knows it, he’s leaning too. It’s a nice first kiss; soft and tentative. It only lasts a couple of seconds but it leaves Danny’s head spinning.    
  
...   
  
They’re on shift the next day and spend most of it going over the broken window case. Nicholas’ first order of business is to check Miss Peeler’s alibi. She states she was taking a nap at home during the first window smash. No one can verify that. She wasn’t at school during the second one, claiming to be in Buford Abby with her mother. She says she’ll try to get them proof of such. She seems nice, not offended at all by the questioning and cooperates fully. Danny isn’t sure if that works in her favor or not.    
  
“A bit suspicious, eh,” Danny asks after she leaves.    
  
“Perhaps,” Nicholas nods back, “you’d be surprised how many people don’t have alibis for crimes they’re suspects in. People, especially single people, often spend lots of time alone.” He pauses, watches Danny as he pours two cups of tea. “There is one thing that bothers me about it, however.”    
  
“Her motive for smashing the hardware store window?”    
  
“Exactly,” Nicholas nods, looking down at the paperwork in front of him. “I saw her speaking to Mr. Mower and Miss Archer at the drive in. They seemed friendly.”    
  
“Ta,” Danny said, nodding slowly. “If memory serves, Miss Peeler is an old girlfriend of our late Greg. She and Miss Archer been friends since childhood.”    
  
“Oh?”    
  
Danny nodded once more, crossing his arms over his chest, suddenly lost in memories of the past. “Miss Peeler and Greg dated in early high school, though nothing too serious. She was happy to give her blessing when Greg asked Miss Archer out. Was even the maid of honor, as I recall.”    
  
Nicholas wrote all this down. More than likely it was useless information. Basically everyone in Sandford had more than one connection. Still, it didn’t hurt to look into everything. One never really knew.    
  
“Did Miss Peeler ever get close to marriage?”    
  
“Not that I’m aware. Plenty of offers, though. I just don’t think she was ever interested.” Danny pauses, “Do you think it’s weird, ya know, that nothing was taken from Mrs. Masher’s shop but so much was taken from Miss Archer?”    
  
“Extremely,” Nicholas replies, smiling up at Danny. “Why steal from one not the other?”    
  
Danny shrugs, “Maybe they didn’t have time or maybe they didn’t want nothing but then...why break the window? Why do it and steal in broad daylight?”    
  
Nicholas taps his pen against his desk a moment, then turns back to look at Danny. He can’t wait any longer. “Close the door,” he tells him.    
  
Danny lifts an eyebrow in question but says nothing. He closes the door and locks it for good measure.    
  
“I was thinking...for our second date, I would take you somewhere. A restaurant I know, in Buford Abby. Is that okay?” Danny beams which makes Nicholas beam in return. “I take it that’s a yes.”    
  
“Yeah.”    
  
“Good,” Nicholas says, then shakes himself a little to wipe the smile off his face but not the happiness he can’t help but feel. “Now let’s get back to work.”    
  
...   
  
They’re off on Thursday this week, so instead of waiting for the weekend, they go to Buford Abby on Wednesday night after their shift.    
  
Nicholas didn’t tell him where they were going, but Danny was sure, knowing Nick, that it would be a nicer place. After showering, he pulls a pair of slacks out of his closet and drags a deep green sweater over an undershirt.    
  
He drives to Nicholas’, more than a little tired after their long shift. He wonders if he can convince Nick to stay in. Hopefully drink a couple of beers and watch a movie or two. He misses it. Movie nights just aren’t the same without him.    
  
Danny decides against asking when he sees the smile on Nick’s face as he comes out the door to meet him, not bothering to wait for Danny to come to the door this time around.    
  
Nicholas doesn’t like listening to music in the car, so as soon as they’re off, Danny asks if he wants to play a game. It’s a bit of a drive.    
  
“Okay,” the blonde says slowly, considering, “battle to the death round: John Mclain verse Kevin from Home Alone?”   
  
Danny laughs, “I taught you well, fuck.” He smiles at the pleased look his partner is giving him. “How much prep time does the kid have?”    
  
“An hour.”   
  
“Oh, Kevin for sure.”    
  
Nicholas looks surprised, but laughs. “I thought for sure you’d stick up for John.”    
  
“Even John has limits, Nick. Could he fight off an alien invasion Yes. Batman? Well, no, cause they’d team up and clean up Gotham but my main point is he has limits, but Kevin with an hour of prep time? Not a chance!”    
  
“Danny, are you implying with enough prep time Kevin could also take out an alien invasion?”    
  
“Give him a day,” Danny says, and then when Nick stops laughing, “well, go on, then. Give us another one, oh mighty one.”    
  
“Harrison Ford from Air Force One verse Nicholas Cage from Con Air.”    
  
“You can’t remember their names, can you?”    
  
“I cannot.”    
  
Thankfully, they are at a stoplight at the edge of the village when Danny starts laughing, almost hysterically, at the stoic look on Nick’s face. They argue in death battles until they reach their destination. Danny is happy to see it’s a nice place but not too nice. He’s always felt out of place in atmospheres like that. It had a little to do with his weight; he always worried about people staring at him or accidentally knocking something over and making a scene. These places always seemed quieter than the average. Another part of it is that he’ll always think of himself as a goofy little country boy.    
  
Wednesday’s appear to be a slow night because there isn’t a line for a table and the place isn’t even half full. Nicholas orders wine when they sit down and Danny is a little at awe at how elegant and at ease he seems to be.    
  
“So, how do you know about this place?”    
  
Nicholas shrugs a little. “Nothing exciting. Some of the Met had a small party here once for the Chief Inspector. It was his birthday.”    
  
“And you went?”    
  
Nicholas could feel his cheeks heating up and hoped Danny hadn’t noticed. “Well, no. I wasn’t invited. I was working a case anyway and I stopped by because I needed the Chief Inspector to sign off on a couple of things.”    
  
“You bothered him at his birthday party?”    
  
“I’ve come a long way since then,” Nicholas says instead of answering the obvious. “In any case, I saw the place. He signed the paperwork I needed and I closed my case in the next three hours. The food looked good and no one was complaining about it.”    
  
Danny nods his head, slowly. He probably shouldn’t ask, really, but he’s desperate to know. “So, you never brought Janine here?”    
  
Nicholas tilts his head a little to the side, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Danny should probably feel uncomfortable under that stare of his, but all it does is make him horny.    
  
“No, Danny,” Nicholas says finally. “I never brought her here, or anywhere, really. I was not a good boyfriend to her and I really want to do better by you.”    
  
Danny feels like he’s choking on his own spit. He’s not sure if Nicholas is calling him his boyfriend or not but he really wants to ask. Just then, the waiter comes with their wine and asks for their order. Nick, being Nick, has managed to look over the menu and decide while they were speaking without Danny even noticing. He orders a vegetarian dish and Danny mimics the order without so much as glancing at the menu.    
  
When the waiter leaves, Nick asks him if he’s watched any new movies recently without him and the moment has passed.    
  
...   
  
“Ugh!”    
  
Nicholas throws his arms and head down on his desk, feeling both tired and defeated. Danny is sitting next to him, patting his back while pushing his cup of tea closer to him. “Nicholas, it’s not that bad.”    
  
“It’s the third window to be smashed in just over a week, Danny, and we have absolutely no idea who’s doing it.”    
  
“Well, the Andes found some evidence this last time. We’re just now waiting on the analysis. Give it time.”    
  
Nicholas looks up at Danny and frowns. He hates this. He hates not having leads or answers for the victims. He feels like a failure. Danny is smiling at him though, soft and a little concerned. Nicholas shakes off his feelings and sits back up to look at the paperwork in front of them.    
  
“We were lucky with the blood,” he admits, accepting the tea when handed to him. He takes a sip, savors it a moment. Danny has perfected how to make his cup of tea. He’ll have to step up his game a little. “In the meantime, let’s look at our suspect: Miss Peeler.”    
  
“Do you really think she coulda done it?”    
  
Nicholas shrugs, “To be perfectly honest, I haven’t the slightest clue. My gut instinct is no, she doesn’t seem the type but sometimes they don’t always.”   
  
“Like my da,” Danny offers, “or your uncle Derek.”    
  
Nicholas huffs out his breath, strokes the back of Danny’s hand. “Exactly.”    
  
“Well, the boutique shop is owned by Mrs. Comber. As far as I know, there isn’t any connection between her and Miss Peeler besides that Miss Peeler teaches Mrs. Comber’s grandchildren at the school.”    
  
“How is her relationship with the children?”    
  
Danny shrugs, “No clue.”    
  
Nicholas nods once, looking out the window into the bullpen of the station. He’ll have to ask the others if they know. He could ask Mrs. Comber or the other teachers but he doesn’t want to unless he has too. Sandford isn’t London. If you go around asking questions about a specific person, the others will catch on. He doesn’t want anyone accusing Miss Peeler of anything until he is sure.    
  
“Didn’t she drop something off to you earlier?”   
  
“Who?”    
  
“Miss Peeler.”    
  
“Oh, yes, sorry.” Nick pulls out the small evidence bag at the bottom of his pile and hands it to his partner. He takes another sip of tea as Danny looks it over. “It’s the only evidence of her being in Buford Abby at the time of the second smashing.”    
  
“It’s just an ATM receipt. Barely nothing, ain’t it? Anyone coulda used her card.”    
  
“I asked Doris to get on seeing about getting the footage for the ATM camera.”   
  
“That should take a day or two. Along with the blood.” Danny looks thoughtful. “We should go out on patrol.”    
  
“It’s not our turn yet.”    
  
“I know but Fisher and Turner could use another set of eyes out there, don’t ya think? And if two sets of police officers are walking around, the culprit is less likely to strike, right? We won’t have to follow a route. We can just keep our eyes out.”    
  
“Sounds like a great idea, partner. Let’s go.”    
  
...   
  
Danny is settling in for the night. It’s Friday, which means movie night. Except Nick isn’t here with him like he used to be; like he should be. Nick hasn’t stepped foot in his flat since they made their first date. He understands why, but he still misses Nick and the time they spend on the couch together.    
  
He’s deeply considering not even bothering with the movie while he balances both Die Hard and Kill Bill in his hands. He doesn’t have any beer anyway, which might be a good thing considering how lonely he currently feels.    
  
Just as he sets the DVDs down, there’s a knock on the door that startles him. He isn’t expecting anyone and no one usually bothers him, except the elderly Miss Blackwell next door whenever she needs a lightbulb changed or her grass mowed.    
  
He’s surprised to find Nick standing on his doorstep, a case of beer in his hand and an unreadable look on his face. Without a word, he steps into the flat and moves past him to place the beer in the fridge.    
  
“I’m happy to see you but wha-.”   
  
Nick kisses him. It feels free and wonderful and right. Like he’s meant to do it.    
  
“I was thinking.”    
  
Danny only kisses Nick again in response. He doesn’t get to do it often. He wonders if he’ll ever be able to do it outside his flat, not just in a dark car when no one can see them.    
  
“We’re best mates, right,” Nick starts again when Danny pulls back. He doesn’t wait for an answer. “I was thinking that we shouldn’t stop this now that the relationship has changed. It can be apart of it. I know we’ve only been on two dates, technically, but,” he pauses, a blush making its way across his features. “I wasn’t planning on stopping it and...”   
  
He can’t find the right words but Danny grins at him so he doesn’t need to. He grabs two beers while Danny makes sandwiches and grabs crisps along with them. They sit on the couch together, as close as they always do-to which, that probably should have been a sign-, and cuddle under the blanket while Die Hard plays on the television.    
  
About halfway through, Nicholas leans his head against Danny’s shoulder. He looks up and Danny looks down. Neither is sure who moves first but it doesn’t take long for them to be wrapped up in the blanket and each other.    
  
They’d made out in the car after their second date, both a little apprehensive and hesitant. It had been dark with few cars in the parking lot in a town outside from theirs. The likelihood of someone they knew catching them was extremely low, but it had been a little nerve wracking all the same.    
  
In the safety of each other and Danny’s flat, neither hold back. Nicholas kisses Danny deeply, running his tongue over his bottom lip before slipping it in his mouth. He relishes in the moan Danny gives, a quiver running through his spine when he is met with the same enthusiasm he feels.    
  
Danny isn’t sure where to put his hands. Nick has his shoulders in a near death grip so Danny places his hands on the blond’s hips and tries to pull him closer. Nicholas topples over on top of him but Danny doesn’t mind. They kiss hungrily for several minutes until Nick shifts his position.    
  
He jolts back at the sensation of their cocks rubbing together, Danny unable to hold back his moan. He grips Nick’s hips tighter, desperate for him to do it again but he stops at the look on his partner’s face.    
  
Nicholas looks uncertain with red tinted cheeks. After a too long moment where Danny thinks he’s going to explode if something, anything, doesn’t happen, Nick closes his eyes and grinds down onto Danny again.    
  
“Fuck, Nicholas.”    
  
The blond just nods his head, almost frantically. He understands. He knows exactly how Danny feels. He’s never done this before and he’s not sure he’s doing it right but Danny feels so good under him and the noises he’s making keep spurring him on.    
  
He stops when he feels Danny’s hand on his belt, tucking none too gently. At his confused look, Danny smiles and asks, his hands never stilling, “you don’t wanna cum in your pants, do ya?”    
  
It’s easy to get the belt off, but Danny struggles a moment with the trousers. It’s not so much that it’s hard, but because his hand shakes as he does it. Slowly, he pulls the zipper down while gripping Nick’s hip. He’s straddling his lap so he can’t shove them down past his thighs but it’s more than enough. The blond grinds down again, tentatively, if only to test it out. The feeling of his skin against Danny’s trousers makes him moan.    
  
Leaning back, he begins to strip Danny of his belt and pants, just as quickly as Danny had just done. His hips lift off the couch, just enough for Nick to pull them down over his arse.    
  
They’re moving too slow; Nick can hardly take it but he wants to take his time. He wants it to last and he wants to enjoy Danny. The look and feel of him is more than he imagined it would be. His body is warm and inviting and he can’t help but run his hands up the length of his stomach, moving his shirt out of the way as he goes.    
  
Danny is large. His arms and shoulders are strong, his chest broad and stomach still amble even after the months of recovery, physical therapy, and exercise. Some scars are faded, others are still a little pink. The sight of them makes Nicholas hurt somewhere deep in his chest but he pushes the negative feeling aside. It’s not the time or place. Instead, he allows his hands to explore, to tease, gently moving over the scars, his shoulders, gripping his arms.    
  
“Nicholas...”   
  
He looks up to meet Danny’s eyes and is surprised to see the torn expression on his face. He looks a bit unsure as his hands grip his hips tightly, keeping him in place across his lap. There’s something in the look, in the way he stares at Nick’s hands on him, that makes him think back to the night he first asked Danny out. Or had Danny asked him? He isn’t sure but he is certain of the look on his face. It’s almost identical to the one he wore when he tried to shrug off the Andes’ comment about his weight.    
  
“Danny,” Nick only means to say, but moans out instead. He’s never been good at this. He knows he wants to tell Danny how attractive he finds him but he can’t think of the right word that won’t sound silly from his lips at this moment. He runs his hands up and down his body, resting on his shoulders and says, “Danny, I want you.”    
  
Danny’s eyes widen and his hands grip Nick’s hips tighter. He grinds up into him, both moaning at the first contact of skin to skin. Nicholas grips Danny’s shoulders tighter and sets a steady rhythm both can follow. Danny watches, memorized as Nick leans back his head, eyes closed and mouth slightly open. They continue for several minutes, movements becoming sloppy with each thrust.    
  
Eyes still closed, Nick’s a little surprised when Danny reaches forward and pulls him down by the back of his neck. He accepts the kiss eagerly, still rutting against Danny.    
  
All too soon, he can feel the familiar tingle of his relief in the back of his spine.    
  
Danny gasps, “I’m gonna...”    
  
“Me too.”    
  
Without thinking, Danny reaches between them and grabs both their cocks in his strong hand. They both cum in seconds.    
  
Nicholas lay his head on Danny’s chest, listening to the bigger man breathe while trying to calm his own ragged breath. Danny is moving a little underneath him and Nick suspects he’s reaching for something on the floor to wipe his hand off with; probably a shirt. Nick can’t be bothered by it. He’s too happy and suddenly very sleepy.    
  
Danny eventually stills, mumbles, “sorry,” under his breath and then wraps his arms around Nicholas’ back.    
  
“What for?”    
  
“You came here to be best mates and then I had to go and start that.”    
  
The blonde looks up at him, kisses him softly. Danny melts into the kiss and Nick’s heart flutters at the mere thought. “I thought I started it? Besides, we can be both at the same time, Danny,” he tells him when they pull apart. “We’re best mates but we’re also...”   
  
“...boyfriends?”   
  
Nick, despite himself, smiles, “Yes, boyfriends. These things are bound to happen on movie night.”    
  
“I’d like that.”    
  
Nick smiles again, both his head and eyes feeling heavy. “Can I stay the night?”    
  
“Cor, I’d really like that,” Danny smiles happily, snuggling Nick a little closer to him. “Do you want to move to the bed?”    
  
Nick is already asleep.    
  
...   
  
Doris is tittering around the office when Nicholas and Danny come in the next day. She looks nervous, munching on biscuits and swaying one foot to the other. When she sees them, she stops moving immediately and sets the treats down on her desk.    
  
“Ello, Inspector. Danny.”    
  
“Why so formal, Doris,” Nicholas asks, suspiciously. She only ever calls him by his title when she’s feeling serious, which is almost never. She rarely calls Danny anything other than his name. Too many years of friendship between them.    
  
“Well, sir, the Andes found something in the evidence. I think you better go speak to them.”    
  
“The Andes are here,” Danny asks, looking around. They aren’t meant to be on shift this weekend but probably felt it necessary to come in, considering. Danny feels a little proud of them at that and that just feels too weird to even acknowledge.    
  
Cartwright has his head in his hand when they enter their office. Wainwright looks hungover. It seems they’d still gone to the pub the night before. It makes Danny feel a little better.    
  
“I gotta call last night,” Wainwright says without so much as looking at them. “From the team in Buford Abby. They got the DNA on the blood back.”    
  
“Find a match?”   
  
“Not exactly.”    
  
“What the hell does that mean?”    
  
“It’s a partial match to a man named Eric A Aronson.”    
  
“Ain’t he in prison in London,” Danny asked, concerned, his country accent more prominent to Nick’s ear. “If it's a partial match, it ain’t him, though, right?”    
  
“Right,” Cartwright nodded, pushing the file towards them. “The lab says it’s the nephew or possible cousin of Eric.”    
  
“Well Eric doesn’t have any living cousins,” Wainwright told them. “On account of Craig having passed. He does have a nephew, though.”    
  
Nicholas ran through the familiar red headed family. “...Aaron? Aaron A Aronson, the little kid who bit Skinner at the model village? He’s twelve!”   
  
“Thirteen,” Danny corrects, rather unhelpfully, really. Nicholas’ head was spinning as to how and why Aaron would do this.    
  
“Wait, we got this from the blood? How much blood? How badly would Aaron have been hurt?” Criminal or not, he was still only twelve. Er, thirteen.    
  
“Wasn’t a lot,” Cartwright reassures, and Nicholas nods his head, thankful. “We didn’t want to do anything until you got here, cuz, well, ya know.”    
  
Nicholas nods his head again, then looks sternly at the Andes. “Thank you both for the work you’ve done. You were not scheduled today and you came in anyway. I’m proud of both of you.”    
  
Silence fills the room before Wainwright snorts and mutters “don’t go getting soft on us, twat.”    
  
Despite everything he was feeling, Nicholas grins. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”    
  
As they leave, the Andes pack up to head home. Nicholas tells them to go and that they will take care of little Aaron. They’ll have to drive over there and speak to one of his parents. He wonders if they even suspect something. He’s feeling sick to his stomach and wants to crawl into bed with Danny and forget the whole thing.    
  
Honestly, he’s been concerned it could be another incident like the NWA. However unlikely, the group still haunts him, the team, and their town. Every little thing seems to stir up a little fear. He’s tried to ignore the whispers but sometimes he can’t tune out the noise.    
  
When he looks up, Danny is sitting at his desk, looking thoughtful. “Is something the matter?”    
  
Danny almost looks regretful. “Nick, I don’t think Aaron could have done it, or at least, not all of it.” Before he can ask, Danny is typing away at his computer. “Member that lead I ran about the hoodies right after Mrs. Masher’s window got smashed?”   
  
“Of course,” Nicholas takes Walker’s chair and pulls it up to his partner’s desk. He can feel himself fall completely into full Inspector mode. He needs to focus completely on this case and get it solved before another window gets broken or someone else gets hurt.    
  
“Well, I remember seeing Aaron in the photos,” Danny explains as he pulls them up from a member of the hoodies MySpace page. “See, he’s there at the time of the first window smash.”    
  
Nicholas sees Aaron in the background of the photos. The others he’s hanging out with seem too old for him to be around but Nicholas has always felt a strange urge to protect him ever since the Incident. The whole team has, which is probably why they’re all feeling so strange about it all. He’s always seemed like a good kid, maybe a little rambunctious but he is a teen, after all.    
  
“We should go speak to him and his parents. We will give him the benefit of the doubt for now. In any case, if he is the...person responsible, he will need to answer for what he’s done.”    
  
Danny only nods his head before shutting down his computer and getting up. He’s learned over the months he’s been back to work that it’s important to keep personal things off his work computer and even more important to keep work things to himself and out of the eye of civilians if they ever come in.    
  
Nicholas replaces Walker’s chair, centered perfectly at his desk, if only to buy him time before actually having to walk out the door. The drive over is silent until Nicholas looks over and sees Danny chewing on his fingernails.    
  
“Have you ever had to question a minor before?”    
  
“No,” Danny says through his teeth, shaking his head slightly. He won’t look at Nick. He feels stupid and inexperienced suddenly, like when he did when his partner first arrived in Sandford.    
  
“It’s not easy,” Nick tells him softly, “just remember that a parent has to be there at all times. Sometimes they cry. If we do need to bring him to the station, and he’s calm, we’ll let him ride up front.”    
  
“Isn’t that against regulations,” Danny asked, though he already knew the answer. He isn’t challenging Nicholas’ words. He just wants it to be acknowledged.    
  
“Yes,” Nicholaus says without so much as a second of hesitation. Danny reaches over and squeezes his knee.    
  
...   
  
Mrs. Aronson, like her husband and children, is a redhead.    
  
“Are you certain,” she asks, her voice and face riddled with concern. “Oh, no, you just can’t be. Aaron is such a good boy. He would never do something like that.”    
  
Nicholas goes to interrupt her, but she continues on before he can. “Oh, no. Surely. Aaron, can you come into the living room, please?!”    
  
Nicholas and Danny sit quietly on the couch, their caps in their hands, as they wait for Aaron and listen to his mother mutter on. Normally Nick would never sit. He found it too personal, too vulnerable. In this case, however, he figures it’s appropriate.    
  
When Aaron comes around the corner and sees them, his eyes go wide but he doesn’t run away. He looks as scared as a rabbit; Danny is certain he’s about to cry.    
  
“Hi, Aaron,” he says, smiling at him. “Nick and I are here to talk to you, is that okay? It’s important.”    
  
“Go on, dear. Answer their questions.”    
  
Aaron sits down across from them in a large recliner chair. It’s the one his father sits in when he’s home. It practically swallows the too small boy, making him appear even tinier.    
  
“I’m sorry,” he blurts out after only a second, sinking even lower in the chair.    
  
“For what, son?”    
  
Aaron suddenly starts crying, looking up at his mother for support. “Oh, dear, oh, dear,” she lowers herself to her knees and hugs her son. “Just be honest, Aaron, it’s alright.”    
  
“I’m sorry I broke the window. I didn’t mean to, it was an accident.”    
  
“The window,” Nick asks, always able to pick up on the little things. “Which window?”    
  
“Mrs. Comber’s window...I was just skateboarding! I was trying to do a trick and I lost the board. It went into the window and smashed it! Honest, I didn’t mean to!”    
  
“Why did you run, Aaron? Why not just stay and tell the truth?”    
  
“I was scared,” he tells them, wiping his nose and hiding his face in such a way, he’s trying to pretend they never existed. Danny’s done the same countless times. “I was worried you’d think I did it to all the windows, see, so I just grabbed my skateboard and ran.”    
  
“Aaron, we found some of your blood at the scene. How did you get hurt, where?”    
  
Before answering, the young boy reaches down and pulls his right pant leg up. Right above his ankle, Nicholas can only presume is the wound. It’s bandaged up with care.    
  
“You said you got that while playing near Mr. Webbers’ fence,” Mrs. Aronson exclaims, bending down and fussing with it all over again.    
  
“I’m sorry,” Aaron said again, lowly, “I was scared and my board was in the window. I grabbed it fast and ran. Didn’t realize I cut my leg til later. Ruined my pants.” He pauses a moment, then says even lower, “am I in trouble?”    
  
“No,” Danny tells him, leaning back into the couch. “Not with us, Aaron, but you might be with your parents and Mrs. Comber, too. You’ll have to pay her back somehow, I reckon.”    
  
“Really?” At Danny’s words, Aaron’s head shots up, hope clearly edging onto his face.    
  
Nicholas only nods, tries to soften his face to conform with Danny’s. He may be the one with the experience but he’s starting to believe Danny is far superior in these situations. “Yes. We have evidence that you did not break the first glass. We believe you. As long as you apologize to Mrs Comber, we’re square.”    
  
“Thanks, guys,” Aaron jumps out of the chair and hugs Danny, still crying a little but brightening up considerably. Danny looks over and Nicholas and shrugs. When the redhead pulls away, he looks at Nicholas, questioning. It takes him a moment to figure it out and slowly opens his arms to him. The hug feels a little more awkward than Danny’s had looked but honestly he couldn’t expect much. This isn’t his strength. He’s honestly happy Aaron felt comfortable enough to hug him at all.    
  
“Thank you, officers. I promise we’re getting ready and going to see Mrs. Comber right now.”    
  
“Am I grounded?”    
  
“I’ll speak to your father,” Mrs. Aronson tells him sternly but there is a soft look in her eyes. “We’ll see.”    
  
“Have a good rest of your day,” Nicholas tells them both before discreetly taking Danny’s hand and leading him out the door.    
  
Nicholas drives the way back, stops before he reaches the main road. He pulls over in the miles and miles of corn and turns to his partner. Danny doesn’t question him or even bother to look questioned. He meets him halfway, lips colliding softly with one another. Danny reaches up with his hand to cup the other’s cheek when the radio turns on.    
  
“Chief,” Fisher’s voice interrupts them, “we seem to have another broken window.”    
  
...   
  
Three days later, the whole team went over all the evidence, re-interviewed everyone, and started a tip line.    
  
It’s Tuesday night and Danny and Nick are avoiding the village by drinking at Nicholas’ instead of the pub. They’ve barely stopped working since the last window was broken and none of the team can go anywhere without being harassed by someone. Poor Doris had come rushing in on her day off, groceries in hand, after having been almost chased in by Mr. Beaker. She’s been so put off she hid in the Andes’ office until she felt it safe to leave.    
  
Nicholas had shooed the man off with a stern look and practiced police statement. He didn’t blame Mr. Beaker, or the others, not really. The village had gone through a terrible ordeal just the year before. The people were still healing. They weren’t receiving any travelers, except those interested in the Incident. Other villagers have moved away to get away from it all, several of them being the families of victims. Others who decided to stick it out or have no other choice were the ones mostly harassing the team.    
  
“They’re just frightened, you know,” Danny cuts into his thoughts as he hands him another beer with a small kiss to his cheek. “They’re scared it’s another Incident.”    
  
“Yeah,” Nicholas responds lowly, peeling at the label on the beer. “Yeah, I know, I just...I feel guilty. We solved a mass murdering cult, Danny, how can we not figure out who’s smashing these windows?”    
  
“We will solve it, in due time,” Danny tells him, smiling.    
  
Nicholas smiles back at him. His heart skips and his palms sweat. He sets his beer down on his coffee table, the one Danny bought him as a welcoming present when he moved into the cottage. Danny is holding his hand in a gentle grip, running his thumb over the blond’s knuckles while he watches the car chase scene unfold in front of them on the TV. Nicholas watches him and his reactions more than the movie, and thinks, not for the first time, if it’s too early to say the three words rattling around his mind.    
  
Danny must notice him staring because he turns back even though the scene is starting to get really good. “I, uh...” Danny mumbles, setting his beer down next to Nicholas’. He pauses a moment, then seems to make a decision because he stands up rather abruptly and pulls on Nick’s hand. “Come on.”    
  
Nicholas stands without thought, following Danny towards his bedroom. “Where are we going?” He knows exactly where they’re headed but he needs to vocalize it. His hands are sweating again.    
  
“I think you know.”    
  
Nicholas never had anyone in his room before, except Danny the one time he’d gone in to retrieve a new uniform for him while Nicholas had cleaned up mud from his face and hands. This is different. This is still new.    
  
It doesn’t feel like his bedroom. It’s simple and clean. He has his clothes hung up in his closet, some more in a dresser. The bed is made with military precision. He doesn’t have a single personal touch in the room.    
  
Maybe when he gets a new peace lily. He never replaced the old one. First too busy, then feeling too sad and guilty while he nursed Danny back to health.    
  
“I figured this might be more comfortable than the couch,” Danny tells him, somewhat awkwardly.    
  
Nicholas doesn’t answer, only brings Danny closer to bed before claiming his lips with his own. They’ve only done this once. Everything else is just teasing and testing but the two quickly find the same rhythm they had before.    
  
Nicholas wraps his hand around Danny’s cock as soon as they’re naked and pressed up against each other. He enjoys the hiss of breath against his face and loosens his grip just to tighten it again to see if he can get the same reaction.    
  
He moves his hand back and forth, alternating his rhythm and paces, testing the feel of Danny in his hand. He watches his partner’s face intently, memorizing every expression and moan and cataloging what works best.    
  
Danny lets out a low moan, then taps Nicholas on the shoulder. It pulls him out from his concentration, a little startled. “Is something wrong?”    
  
Danny shakes his head no, then moves so quickly his partner barely sees the movement at all. When his eyes focus again, he’s staring up at the ceiling and Danny is between his legs. He watches, silently, as Danny maneuvers his blanket over his own back.    
  
“Are you cold?”    
  
The bigger man looks a little embarrassed. Nick can’t help but run his fingers through his hair. “I just don’t think I can do this with you looking at me all Nick like.”    
  
“What, Danny.”    
  
Nicholas falls quite, almost eerily so, as Danny lowers himself and the blanket to the stiff limb between Nick’s legs. “W-what are you doing?” He asks because he can’t believe it is happening. Needs to say something or else...or else he’s not really sure.    
  
“Geez, Nick, what do you think?” Comes the mumbled reply.    
  
It’s torture; not being able to see Danny. For one because he’s taking his time, nervous no doubt, and Nick has his toes curled in anticipation. He’s already on edge and Danny hasn’t even touched him yet. Two, and far more important, because Nicholas really wants to see Danny while he does this.    
  
Finally, Danny wraps his hand around Nicholas’ cock. Up and down. Up and down. Slowly, tentatively. He pauses in his movements and then slowly licks the underside of the prick. The movement is unsure and deliciously slow. It makes Nick jerk involuntarily and moan.    
  
Danny does it again. A third time. And a fourth before wrapping his lips around the head. He pauses again before licking the slit, then going a little lower. He continues, inch by inch, not sucking or licking, just getting used to the feeling of Nicholas’ dick in his mouth.    
  
Soon enough, his nose is pressed against Nick’s skin but he still doesn’t move. It’s an old feeling and difficult to breathe at first. Under him, Nick has his fists twisted in the sheets.    
  
After another minute, Danny finally moves again. Breathing through his nose, he pulls up and then back down. He does this several times before going back to the head. He sucks, licks his way down before engulfing the member in his mouth. It’s slow and sloppy but Nick is writhing and moaning between him so he figures he can’t be doing too bad a job.    
  
It becomes hard to keep taking him all the way down, so Danny wraps his hand around the base of him and jerks as he sucks down.    
  
Nicholas feels himself going crazy. He alternates between closing his eyes and looking down at the blanket, desperately wishing he could see Danny. He can’t take much more, he’s sure of it. He’s going to need to tell Danny to pull off but he wants to see him. Without anymore thought, the blond grabs the blanket and yanks.    
  
Danny looks up and meets Nicholas’ eyes, mouth still around his dick. He’s the most gorgeous thing he’s ever seen and he can’t stop himself. “Fuck.”    
  
He doesn’t get to warn Danny as planned. There’s nothing to do but enjoy while he grips his partner’s shoulders in an iron grip. Danny, bless him, holds still until Nick is done. He pulls off and swallows thickly, obviously not a huge fan of the taste.    
  
“Sorry,” Nick mumbles, a little embarrassed. He rubs his hand through Danny’s hair.    
  
“S’all right,” is the quiet reply. Nicholas sits up and kisses his best friend’s lips, let’s his hand wonder below his waist.    
  
“It’s your turn now...”    
  
...   
  
The video surveillance from the ATM finally comes but only because Nicholas gets on the phone and yells at the bank manager for so long, Danny is pretty sure he hears tears coming from the other end of the phone.    
  
Miss Peeler is telling them the truth. She was in Buford Abby at the time of the second window smashing but it doesn’t clear her completely.    
  
“Millions of people, single and even married, take naps every single day. It’s amazing to think that every time you’re alone, a crime could be being committed and you wouldn’t have an alibi!”   
  
Nicholas grunts in agreement. It’s already been proven that more than one person has been doing the breaking, though only because Aaron confessed to accidentally breaking one. It’s entirely possible Miss Peeler broke the first window and then someone else did the others. It’s also possible it’s all one person. Or people working together. Just the year before they’d originally believed they only had one killer, only to find out it had been several.    
  
“My instinct tells me Miss Peeler is innocent,” Nicholas tells the bullpen. The others agree one by one.    
  
“Feed your instinct,” Danny mumbles when he places Nick’s cup of tea and biscuits next to him. Nick picks it up without hesitation, smiling over the rim at him.    
  
“I went through the village’s security footage again, Chief,” Doris tells him with a mouthful of chocolate. She covered Walker on early patrol on last minute notice and missed breakfast, so Nicholas says nothing. She becomes a little faint if she doesn’t have anything in her stomach. He’ll shove the sweets down her throat himself if he has to. “I started a list of people I notice in the area around each broken window, half hour before and after and comparing.”    
  
All the cameras originally put up by the NWA had to be removed. Their source had been destroyed in the explosion and the villagers were wary of them once they learned they were being spied on basically every second of everyday and what was happening to those who weren’t on perfect behavior. It was voted upon by the people that they only wanted certain areas covered in the interest of the whole village. This was not working in favor of them now but the Sandford police staff couldn’t blame them.    
  
“Anything pop out at you?”    
  
“Well, yes, actually,” Doris tells him, swallowing. “In the footage, you can see Mrs. Masher in the area of every shop, before or after.”    
  
“But why would Mrs. Masher do it? What’s the ladies motive,” Fisher asked from his own desk, squinting. Danny thinks he needs new glasses. “Her window was smashed first and she had to pay to get it fixed.”    
  
“I’m not sure...” Danny sighed, shrugging, “Nicholas, wasn’t there something about her interview? Something you weren’t sure about?”    
  
Nicholas closed his eyes briefly, recalling the conversation before flipping back to his notes. “She became angry during the interview, almost defensive.”    
  
“Anddidn’tshegiveusPellerasasuspect?”?   
  
“Aye,” the Andes responded to Walker immediately.    
  
Could it really be that simple? Why break all the other windows though? 

“I think we should bring her in. Maybe a second interview will rattle her. And if she’s innocent, maybe she’ll remember more now that some time has passed?” Danny suggested before Nicholas could speak. 

“That’s true,” Doris agreed. “That happens sometimes, right, chief?” 

Nicholas took a moment to look at his subordinates. His friends; his family. He was proud of every single one of them for their drive to become better, and just how far they’d all come. They were trained to be terrible police officers by a man who wanted them blind and stupid. They took all their regrets, the traumatic experience, and all the knowledge they’d learned over the last year and had truly become exceptional officers. 

Finally, he nodded. “Yes, exactly. Fisher, please go to Mrs. Masher’s shop and ask her to come in for a second interview. Take Doris.” 

“If she refuses,” Doris questioned. 

“We’ll simply imply we will have to make her if necessary and it shall be unpleasant,” was Fisher’s response as he got up to go. He handed the keys to Doris, because she liked to drive. She nodded to the team before heading off. 

Silence fell over the bullpen for a moment before Wainwright stretched in his seat and stood. “So. Maybe it’s a good time to bring up the fact that ya’ll are fucking?” 

Nicholas spit his tea out, horrified. “Excuse me?!” Out right anger seemed like the best emotion. 

“We all know,” Cartwright explains, shrugging. “We had agreed to let you guys come to us first.” He was giving his partner a side eye but it didn’t make any of it any easier. 

Walker mumbles something at this desk. He can’t make it out completely but it sounds like he was as annoyed with Andy as Andy. 

Danny is looking at Nick for guidance and one look at his boyfriend tells him exactly what he needs to say. “This is hardly the time and place to discuss such things but when the case is over, and it will hopefully be soon, we’ll all go to the pub and...we’ll talk.” 

“You don’t have to tell us anything,” Cartwright stood up next to his partner. 

Wainwright clears his throat. “We just wanted to let you know that...it’s cool. It’s great.” He was silent a moment, then shrugged. “We’ll be in our office.” 

He stole one of Nick’s biscuits as he passed but the blond just watched them both go. He looked at Danny, smiling, and realized he’s never been happier. 

…

Mrs. Masher comes into the office like a hurricane. Doris is keeping up with her, step for step, her hand placed firmly right over her elbow. Danny can see she’s annoyed with their suspect but she covers it well. Fisher comes in a couple paces behind them, his hair out of place and his hat under his arm. Danny can see it’s been damaged. His right cheek was scratched. 

Apparently, Mrs. Masher hadn’t come in willingly. 

Fisher gives a little shrug when Walker asks him if he’s okay and takes a seat at his desk. Doris escorts Mrs Masher into their interview room and leaves her sitting alone after getting her settled. 

Nicholas comes out of his office then, nods to Danny to join him. He does but they don’t go in right away. Nicholas scatters his papers over the empty desk in the back of the bullpen for Danny to review. 

“I got something, Nick,” Danny says, nervous. He hands over his last hour of work for his superior to review. Nicholas does quickly, his eyebrows shooting up. He clasps Danny on the arm, smiles, then turns to head inside. 

“This is absolutely ridiculous,” Mrs. Masher screeches as soon as they enter the room. “You had no right to have your people collect me!” 

“We needed to ask you some more questions, I apologize for the inconvenience,” Nick stated back politely, nodding for her to take a seat. She does. 

“I have nothing else for you.” 

“I think it’s best to answer our questions, ma’am. On account of the fact that you assaulted an officer. You’ll see time for it, if we see fit,” Danny advises, knowing Fisher wouldn’t have arrested her previously for it. The old man had always had a soft spot for women. He had an elderly mother, three lovely sisters, an adoring wife, and four daughters of his own. He always saw the best in women. It was the way he was raised. Knowing Doris, she would have let Fisher handle the situation as he wanted.

“I didn’t like the way he spoke to me,” she mumbled in a way of admission. “He was treating me like a criminal.” 

“You assaulted one of my officers,” Nicholas said driely in response, but it was just as much a question as a statement. He hadn’t seen Fisher before coming in. The older man had stayed at his desk and faced the opposite direction. 

“I told you he upset me!” 

Deciding they were getting nowhere, Nicholas took a deep breath and opened his case file. “Your window was broken but nothing was taken. Is that correct?” 

The woman in front of them sneered. “You are well aware that is what happened.” 

“And you suggested that Miss Peeler was responsible. Do you still believe that’s a possibility?” 

“I know that’s what happened! She must have smashed all the windows, to throw you off the trail. Except, of course, the one poor Aaron accidentally broke.” She looks thoughtful for just a moment, then shakes her head and smiles. It’s all teeth and makes Danny all too uncomfortable. 

“I’d like to talk about you for a moment,” Nicholas states without responding, without blinking. He doesn’t want to sympathize with the suspect, not even about Aaron. “Your shop has been around for just over twenty-five years, hasn’t it? Lovely place.” 

“Oh, yes, very. Very popular.” 

“Not really,” Danny says, almost casually. He’s getting better at this. Nicholas will have to tell him that later. “Not since Miss Peeler’s art shop opened, eh? Got the records here myself. Your shops been declining for some time.” 

“That’s not true,” Mrs. Masher gritted through her teeth, “we’re doing very well.” 

“Not according to our records here,” Danny replies, “or your husband.” 

At that, the blonde in front of them rolls her eyes. “Lazy old bat.” 

“I’m just going to ask: did you break your shop window and the windows of Miss Archer and Mr Catcher?”

“Of course not!” 

“You were seen within the area of every shop within fifteen minutes of the vandalism.” 

“No I wasn’t!”

“We have it on tape.” 

Mrs. Masher growled. “So what if I was then, hm? Gonna arrest me for that,  _ Officer _ ?” 

Nicholas was silent for a moment. He leaned back in his seat, studying the ageing woman in front of him. Finally, he leaned forward again and clasped his hands together on the table. “It must be incredibly frustrating, having your shop be neglected like it is now.” 

“It is n-!”

“How frustrating...to be in charge of basically the only art program this town has the offer. Sandford has always been such a small place, afterall. Only one school for all ages, no room for art or music there.” 

“Art is knowledge for the soul,” Mrs. Masher replies, as if automatically, because she shut up instantly after, looking offended. 

“And you were there, with your shop. Sure, it was only pottery, but you taught so many young children how to make things with their hands. Things that can be used, valued, loved…”

Danny thought Nick must be getting to her because her eyes softened when she looked at Danny and said, “I taught your partner.” 

Danny could just barely hold back his shaky reply. Instead, he cleared his throat and said, “I remember. I made my mother a vase for Mother’s Day that first year. She loved it. I’m sure it breaks your heart to see so many children go to Miss Peelers. To have the school make room for an art program and hire her, and then for her to open up a shop right down the way.” 

“It does hurt,” she replied back, now peeling at the skin around her nails. “I didn’t...I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, ya know? It was never supposed to go past my window! I didn’t even want Miss Peeler arrested, just her reputation destroyed! And I swear, I promise, I would have come forward if Aaron would have gotten all the blame!” 

“You know what this means, don’t you?” 

“Possible jail time,” Danny answers for her the second he realizes she isn’t. “You’re going to be charged with breaking and entering, with robbery.”

Mrs. Masher began to cry. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen! You have to believe me, please!” 

Nicholas sighed. “I do believe you. You wanted Miss Peeler to take the blame, you wanted her here, begging for us to believe her.”

Without another word, the blond stood from his spot and started walking towards the door. Danny stood as well, gathering the papers left behind. “I’ll send Doris in to arrest you officially. You’ll spend the night here, Mrs. Masher, and then be transported to Buford Abby in the morning. From there the courts will decide what to do.” 

He followed Nick out. He didn’t need to call for Doris because she and the Andes were watching the interrogation from the other side of the mirror. “I’ll be in in just a moment, sir.” She told them both, taking a more serious tone. “For the charges stated and for assaulting a police officer.” 

Nicholas raised an eyebrow but nodded. He was happy with Fisher’s decision but would not push either way. The older man’s decision showed him he could look past his basis, though he is unsure how the courts will want to deal with her. He is sure that it is finally done and over with and they can put in their paperwork and file this away as a success. 

“Celebrate tonight,” Wainwright calls out to everyone. 

“Please,” Danny says back, grinning, “we deserve it after this one, I think.” 

“Bloody hell, you bugger,” Cartwright says back, but it’s all in good fun. “He ain’t talking about closing the case!” 

“I’m talking about you two!” 

...

Nick still hates walking down the cereal aisle. He hates that Danny eats these sugar filled carbohydrates for breakfast, but he’s been asked to pick them up, and it’s hardly the time to discuss something with more fiber when Danny isn’t even there. So he picks up the A1C raisers and puts it in his cart. 

He runs his mental list over in his head to make sure he has everything, then checks the physical list he has in his hand as well. He heads off towards where he knows Danny will be when suddenly another cart runs into him. He looks up to apologize even though it wasn’t his fault when his eyes meet Miss. Roper’s. Suddenly he doesn’ think it was an accident. 

“Hello, Inspector.”

“Miss Roper, how are you doing today?” 

“Well, and you?”

“Very well.” 

Nicholas stands there a moment, wondering how long it would take for her to get to the point. He is sure she’s heard by now the rumors about him and Danny. At their celebration at the pub, the two had not been overly showy but had displayed as much PDA as they were comfortable with. Doris made a sweet, inappropriate, and very drunk congratulations speech. 

“I was wondering if you were free, perhaps one day this week. Dinner?” 

Her confidence is inspiring, really. 

“Thank you,” he tells her, making sure to look her in the eye. “I’m flattered, truly, but…” Just this second, Danny steps into his view, holding ice cream, crisps, and a new movie for them. It is movie night, afterall. “...I love him,” he finishes, unable to take his eyes off the larger man as he heads towards them. 

Miss. Roper looks Danny up and down a moment and then smiles a little sadly. “I’ll see you around then. Have a nice night.” 

Once she’s out of earshot, Danny leans over and says “I love you too.” 

Startled, Nick looks at him guiltily and a little embarrassed. He has wanted to tell Danny for what feels like forever but kept thinking it was too soon. He did not want the first time Danny heard it to be like that. “I’m sorry, Danny. I wanted to tell you first - I don’t know why I said that to her. It just came out.” 

“Ta,” the younger man says, gently, smiling. Teasing him, he says, “you sure you don’t want to go with her Nick?” 

The blond smiles, and without looking to see if anyone is watching, he kisses Danny’s lips, then says, “there is no one I’d rather be with than you.” 

  
  
  



End file.
